


A Fighting Heart

by Moviemuncher



Category: The 100
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, M/M, Present Day AU, Rocky elements so sort of X-over, Sport related violence, boxing au, mentions of assault
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-19 03:35:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5952217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moviemuncher/pseuds/Moviemuncher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bellamy Blake just wants a shot, he joins a gym and ends up with a rough and rude trainer by the name of John Murphy. Bellamy finds that he wants to help the troubled trainer, will Murphy let him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Fighting Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, new thing. I love boxing but I am not a boxer or trainer. My knowledge comes from films, documentaries, books, BTEC Sport qualification and research. Please correct me or help me if things don't add up.  
> Hesutu is a native American male name meaning ground but I thought it would make a good surname for Anya.

Bellamy stared up at the prestigious Mighty Mick's gym, home to legends pre-2000s. It had a good reputation, and he'd heard good things. It was currently ran by a man called Thelonious Jaha and the best trainer was Marcus Kane. However, to get Kane you had to be good. They had a cut-woman named Clarke, her mother was apparently a ring-side physician that always helped out at local Mik's gym's fights. Clarke was famous too for her jubilant smile and quick-thinking when it came to preserving a fighter's sight for as long as possible. 

It was also home to 'The Commander', aka Lexa Trikru, the lightwieight women's world champion, last weighed in at 129lbs. She was undefeated and a newcomer, having recently beat the last contended Anya 'The Grounder' Hesutu. Lexa was apparently ruthless out of the ring as she was in it. He came in at the bottom of the light heavyweight line at 167lbs. Octavia was stood by him now, she was not a boxer, her and her boyfriend Lincoln were MMA fighters. Lincoln was ranked at #2 and Octavia ranked in at #8 in their respective gender segregated title tables. 

"You goin' in or what Bell? I didn't come to stand outside and look at the sign." Octavia smiled and leaned in to him teasing as she walked ahead. Bellamy shook his head and followed her to the door. He climbed the steps behind her until they reached the performance area. Several bags hung from the ceiling, maybe two dozen, and one large ring stood in the centre. The deep blue a stark contrast to all the white and pale colours. 

"Hi. How can I help you?" A young man with dark skin sat by a small desk near the door. He looked handsome and wore a well-fittting but slightly out of place suit. Bellamy smiled.

"Hey, uh, I'm just looking to sign up." Bellamy told him, going to the desk.

'Alright cool, I'm Wells Jaha, welcome. Are you joining too?" Wells asked Octavia who shook her head. "Cool. Well it's fairly cheap, $20 a month, trainers will run drills and check in with you when they can. Trainers are extra, an extra $25 a month but if you go pro you need one." 

Bellamy nodded. Some gyms charged $45 for just the facility. He was hardly going to complain now and he had money for it. He'd had amateur fights, some not strictly legal. And he had a job anyway. A nice part-time position as a personal trainer at another gym that paid well-enough for a few hours during the week. Mostly teaching middle-class moms some fitness regime and getting tipped. 

"Awesome. I'm Bellamy Blake." He introduced offering his hnd which Wells shook firmly. "Sign me up man." 

"Trainer? You kind of get assigned whoever's free and ready to take you on." Wells asked and Bellamy nodded. He didn't care which trainer provided the guy or girl knew what they were doing. 

"Alright, can you pay upfront or do you want to come back later?" 

"I'll pay now." He pulled out his walllet and passed over the $45 dollars. Wells thanked him and offered to show him around. Octavia kissed him on the cheek.

"Alright. I'll just get your gear and bring it around now you're signed." Octavia smiled and left. 

Bellamy paid attention to everything Wells said, about how to sign up for sparring partners, how to book the rings for use but also who to avoid, and who was a nice person. Apparently Lexa was someone you had to talk to every now and then, as was John Mbege a middle weight fighter. Other than that it was best to stay out of their way though. When Bellamy asked about his trainer Wells shrugged.

"I don't assign them, Kane does. I'm only helping my dad out during the weekend. I'm actually a lawyer." Wells shrugged. Bellamy whistled lowly.

"Impressive man."

Wells smiled and gestured at a clouded glassed door. 

"There you go. Ask Kane, he's cool. He'll set you up and that."

Bellamy nodded, "thanks man."

The door thumped hollowly when he knocked and he was called in. The office was clean, and neat, well-lit. Kane was sat at a desk, thumbing through some certification. Bellamy smiled in greeting who Kane returned welcomingly. 

"Hey, what can I do for you?"

"Wells said you could get me a trainer." Bellamy stated. Kane gives him a considering look. Then he stands and gestures for Bellamy to follow him and he leads him out into the gym, down the stairs and around until they come to what appears to be a staffroom. There is a mismatched array of chairs and tables. A counter is cramped into a corner with a sink and coffee maker. A few people were milling about. 

"Hey Murphy, come here." Kane called to one guy.

The man, a few years younger than Bellamy (so quite young) approached. 

"Alright. Murphy, you okay to train this guy?" Kane asked and Murphy looked Bellamy up and down.  
"I train bantam, welter and featherweights. You're what, a middle, light-heavyweght?" Murphy asked looking at Bellamy.

"Light-heavy." 

Kane shrugged.

"You got the time, and the skill. I believe you can do it. Jaha has faith." Kane said, his last sentence seemed to strike a chord in Murphy because he straightened up and gave Bellamy another considering once over. 

"Alright. I will. My name's Murphy. What's yours?" Murphy asked him.  
"Bellamy Blake." 

Kane left them to it. 

They watched each other in silence for a bit.

"Ermm. Alright, well, I'll be here at five if you get your stuff and that. I got a session with Mbege." 

"Mbege is a middle weight." Bellamy said, confused.

"I know, but I help with his speed training." Murphy shrugged at him dismissively and walked past. Bellamy frowned. 

It wasn't the greatest of first impressions. It also wasn't the worst.

***

Murphy watched Mbege's progress carefully. He had improved massively and Murphy was impressed by his friend once again. A quick learner (puns, haha). Mbege was sparring with Miller, a fellow middleweight. Miller was a good fighter and friendly. His boyfriend Monty often managed his fights whilst Miller mostly remained self-taught with a little help every now and then. Monty was stood me to him in fact, inhaling sharply dry time Mbege's gloved fist hit Miller's head gear. He also kept flinching at every heavy, loud body shot. Murphy could understand that, it was a violent sport and Monty didn't look like he had a single punch in him. Didn't stop his vague annoyance though, it was akin to someone "ooh-ing" and "ahhh-ing" at fireworks without irony. He bit down on it because Monty was a really nice guy and he respected Miller. He was not a friend but he didn't hate Murphy like a lot of people seemed to. It was, and emasculating though this was, Mbege who kept him safe. He knows a lot of the fighters would have taken a swing at him by now if not for the wrath of Mbege. 

It hadn't stopped a group of Lexa's entourage jumping him is months back though. He shivered. He'd only just come back from that. Hadn't been able to face it until Jaha had banned the ones who had gotten caught. Some were facing a trial for it due to eye witness testimonies. Namely Jaha himself who essentially broke it up, stopping them before anything got broke. Lexa hadn't been linked to it so she still trained here. 

Murphy couldn't be sure of she had anything to do with it either. He'd never offended her, far as he knew and she was always strangely civil. Even more so now which could be a caution to get her out of the frame or guilt due to her friends actions. 

He heard the automatic bell go off, end of the round. Mbege came over and sat down on the stool that Murphy quickly stuffed into the ring whilst Miller went to his corner man. Murphy aided Mbege in removing his gum shield and offered the cup nozzle so he could rinse his mouth out, holding the bucket for Mbege to spit. Murphy undid one glove strap and pulled it off for Mbege who managed the other glove while Murphy unclipped the head gear. Mbege pulled it off with a smug grin, it would seem out of place on a normally grim looking face but Murphy had seen it too often now. Namely when Mbege convinced him to return to the gym. He was the only boxer besides Miller Murphy felt safe around. Normally he would stay in the staff room. 

That was why he was dancing around the idea of training Bellamy. He was new, he couldn't possibly hate Murphy so he wouldn't hurt him. He had no reason to. 

"You alright?" Mbege asked, his smile slipping into a straight line. 

"Yeah. You did good, speed is on point." Murphy praised. Mbege pulled a face at his obvious distraction. Murphy covered his discomfort by inspecting Mbege's face and chest for bruising. He also unid the wrapping and looked at his knuckles. They were a little dry from the gloves inner lining. But they weren't bruised. 

"What's really up?" Mbege asked, tone firm, brooking no argument. Murphy shrugged slightly. He looked about at the busy area. Mbege took the hint and gestured to the gear they'd taken from the store room, namely the groin protector that the gym offered free of rent. It also had chest protectors. Headgear was also available to borrow. Murphy picked up the headgear whilst Mbege undid the groin protector and carried it and his gloves. The gumshield was in its case in Murphy's pocket. They approached the small store room and left the door slightly open. The old door had no guarantee of not locking them in and there was no inside handle so the stuck a weight ball there. 

They put the stuff away whilst the talked.

"I'm being asked to train a new guy Bellamy." Murphy confessed quickly. Mbege nodded and looked pensive.

"He seem alright?" 

"I don't know. I may or may not find out at five if he shows up."

"Do you want me to stay?" Mbege asked and Murphy nodded, hating himself for such weakness. Mbe just nodded though.

"Alright. Well I got to go home first, the showers here suck." Mbege seemed regretful.

"It's okay. I think I'll go home for a bit. I don't train anyone anymore." Murphy shrugs listlessly. Mbege pats his shoulder and they left together. Murphy's place is first Mbege leaves him to continue on to his place. Murphy sprints up the stairs to his small flat. It's decent enough. Three rooms, a bed, bath and kitchen/living room. Enough for him. Enough for his occasional couch surfer Emori. She used to be a boxer until she permanently damaged the tendons in her hand. She'd been able to go pro if she'd been eighteen but she'd done under-eighteens amateur. Now it was difficult to find a job. So she had little money, welfare help and lived at either her brother's or his. He didn't mind. She'd been his first female fighter to train. They had gotten on well. 

Emori was there now, a weekend bag in her hand. She was sat on his couch waiting.  
"Hey" he greeted.

"Hey" she smiled. "I got a job."

Murphy whooped and dived over the couch to give her good hand a high five. She laughed.  
"Where?"

"A shop in town. It's a boxing glove place. I thought with my previous experience with the gloves I would have a good chance." She told him gleefully. Murphy grinned. 

"So when do you start?"

"Next Monday. In three days I start my first proper job. I just wondered if I could stay tonight and tomorrow because I'll be living with my brother almost full time since his is closer. I don't want to get on his nerves." She admitted. Murphy nodded enthusiastically. 

"Of course Emori. Always welcome." He leaned in to give her a hug. She returned it fiercely, her thin but whipcord muscled arms crushing him against her. He laughed with her. It was the best he'd felt all day and the joy wasn't even for him. Take that everyone who called him selfish.  
"We should celebrate" she said cheerfully. 

"I got work at five. But I can definitely do tomorrow night." Murphy informed her. He hoped she picked tomorrow. He had enough on his plate tonight.

"My brother can come tomorrow too, invite Mbege and we'll go out tomorrow." Emori said assertively. Going out would involve a film or something due to the over-21 drinking laws Emori fell just under whereas Murphy was twenty-two.

Together they made dinner for about three and ate. It was quite simple chicken salad. Emori cooked it better than he did so he left her with the chicken whilstbhe shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, cucumber and grated carrot. He fetched the mayonnaise for Emori and the salad cre for himself. They ate in front of the TV, mostly in silence except for when the negotiated for the remote. Emori won. 

By half past four Murphy was am anxious mess again, he jumped when someone knocked on his door and Emori grinned teasingly. He answered it and left with Mbege who shouted a greeting to Emori.  
Mbege walked with him to the gym, wearing sweats and had his hands wrapped lightly. No doubt he'd do some bag work whilst Murphy ran drills with Bellamy. They spoke about generic things, until they reached the subject of the upcoming Deadpool film where in the talk turned excited. They both planned to go see it. 

When they reached the gym Murphy stared up woriedly. Mbege waited for him patiently, until he took the first step.


End file.
